Where We Call Home
8
2020
Documentary
People from around the globe who put down roots in Japan offer a glimpse into their lives and the hardships they face in Japanese society.
-
- Cast：
Episode 24 : American Taste, Japanese Apples
December. 21,2020
On this episode, we visit American-born Janie Ikegami who grows apples in Nagano Prefecture. Wishing to recreate the taste she loved growing up in her Texas home, Janie also began using her apples to make sauce and butter, which were unfamiliar to Japanese at first, but are now a huge hit. Yet Janie doesn't stop there; she's ready to take on a tasty new challenge. Join us to find out more. Later on, we drop by another Nagano location: a storied hotel where Russian-native Lyubov Zaozerova works.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 23 : Chris's Little Nigerian Shop
December. 07,2020
On this episode, we meet Nigerian-native Chris Andrews, who runs a small shop in Saitama Prefecture's Koshigaya City. Open 365 days a year, Chris's business is a gathering spot and a source of moral support for the local Nigerian community. However, with the coronavirus pandemic, he struggles to keep his shop afloat. Join us as we follow Chris and the people who have come to his aid in his fight for survival. We also visit Bangladeshi Rashel Sarkar, who makes prosthetic legs at a company in Osaka Prefecture.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 22 : Rural Reinvigoration on Video
November. 23,2020
This episode takes us to the rural community of Kito in Tokushima Prefecture. While its population of around 1,000 is on the decline, a newcomer, Tyler Walkey from the US, is helping to breathe new life to the area. A talented video content creator, he uses his skills and a variety of methods from drones to time-lapse shooting to promote the Kito region by filming its nature and its people. We also meet Chinese-born Chen Bowen who works at a store selling materials for making lacquerware.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 20 : Coriander Farmers in Pursuit of Happiness
October. 26,2020
On this episode, we visit a coriander farm in Bando, Ibaraki Prefecture run by Thai-native Satapon Sukhanonchanapa and his wife Sysaath Seginthisack from Laos. In 10 years, what started as a hobby has grown into a highly profitable business. They now make deliveries all the way to Tokyo and its neighboring areas. But success is not without its share of hardships. Join us to find out more. We also meet with Greek-born Anastasios Pappas, a former weightlifter turned manager of a barbell factory in Tokyo.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 19 : Uniting People Through Manga
October. 19,2020
On this episode, we meet manga creator René Hoshino from Cameroon who's been living in Japan since childhood after his mother remarried to a Japanese national. Growing up, he has often been the target of prejudice and discrimination, but using his artistic skills, he turned this harsh experience into a best-selling manga that fosters understanding as it touches on serious matters with a little bit of humor. We also drop by a café in Tokyo where Korean-born Woo Youngju works as head barista.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 17 : Together We Can Make It Through!
September. 21,2020
This episode focuses on Vietnam-born Do Van Tuan, chairman of the Sendai Vietnamese Association. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on, he decided to roll up his sleeves and come to the aid of other Vietnamese in the area who lost their jobs due to the outbreak. His endeavor has snowballed into a volunteer project in which the local Japanese also take part. In addition, we meet US-native Kristen Shinozaki who works alongside her husband, the owner and chef of a Tokyo eel restaurant.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 16 : For the Love of Sweets and Family
September. 14,2020
On this episode: a taste of sweetness with traditional confections, or "wagashi," prepared at a 200-year-old shop in Kumamoto City. Training under the 7th generation owner is his son-in-law, Mexican-born Saul Garcia Torres. Join us as we spend time with Saul on his journey toward becoming a master at preparing Japanese confections and creating new sugary sensations powered by his love of sweets and family. We also follow Amelia from the UK in her work to protect wild bears in Nagano Prefecture.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 15 : Keeping the Faith in Chinatown
September. 07,2020
Yokohama is home to Japan's biggest Chinatown. The neighborhood has survived war and disaster over the course of its long history. Now it's known as a culinary hotspot, attracting about 20 million visitors every year. But the coronavirus has ground business to a halt. This episode follows 3 people with deep roots to the area's storied dining industry, and looks at how they are overcoming the crisis. We also meet Vietnam-born Doan who is working to bring new development to Tokyo's Shibuya Ward.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 14 : A University Fostering Exchange and Diversity
August. 31,2020
On this episode, we follow Mali-born Oussouby Sacko, who has been the president of Kyoto Seika University for the past 2 years. He's been devoting himself to fostering interchanges between Japanese students and those from abroad who've been increasing in numbers thanks to Sacko's efforts. However, the pandemic is making it harder for him to pursue his goal of a university open to diversity. We also meet Kosim Bokiev from Tajikistan, who works in the wholesale of fruit and vegetables in Tokyo.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 13 : Charmed by the Beauty and Flavor of Noto
August. 03,2020
This episode takes us to the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture where we visit an inn run by Australian-born Benjamin Flatt and his Japanese wife Chikako. The secret to the inn's popularity is the couple's tasty cuisine made possible by Ben's culinary know-how accumulated while working at an Italian eatery back in Oz, and the relations he and Chikako established over the years with local farmers and fishermen in Noto. We also meet Betty, a food package designer from Taiwan living near Tokyo.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 12 : Tourism's Fight to Endure the Crisis
July. 27,2020
The coronavirus outbreak has taken a heavy toll on businesses that cater to tourists visiting Japan from overseas. From the English-born organizer of countryside tours in Oita Prefecture to a caterer from Thailand working in Hokkaido Prefecture's picturesque Niseko, along with the American proprietor of an inn in a storied Nagano Prefecture hot-spring resort, this episode offers a glimpse into the struggles of foreigners in the tourism industry as they try to withstand the impact of the pandemic.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 11 : Entertainers Under the Pandemic
July. 20,2020
The entertainment business in Japan has been dealt a heavy blow by the coronavirus pandemic. Join us as we look at the lives of 3 foreigners working in the industry fighting to survive the crisis: Fiona Graham - an Australian who's been working as a geisha under the artist name of Sayuki for 15 years, Iran-born Edi who manages a talent agency regrouping around 2,000 non-Japanese entertainers, and a dancer from the United States, Ice, who runs his own dance school for children.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 10 : Struggles for Recovery in the Restaurant Industry
July. 06,2020
A month after the state of emergency was lifted in Japan, we focus on 3 foreigners in the restaurant industry fighting for financial recovery. To save her Szechuan eatery, Aya Wu from China started takeout and delivery services. Ricardo Komori left his home in Portugal to learn authentic Japanese cuisine but the pandemic took away his chance at employment in a Kyoto restaurant. Running a tea shop in Tokyo, French-native Florent Weugue's business too has been impacted by the coronavirus.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 9 : Chinese Entrepreneurs Fight for Survival
June. 01,2020
Chinese nationals make up about 30% of foreigners in Japan. Among the younger generations of Chinese living here, starting a business has become a trend in recent years. But with the coronavirus outbreak, many risk having to close up shop. We look at 2 such entrepreneurs: Xiaohan, who opened up a prep school for Chinese students wishing to enter Japanese universities, and Yuemei, the owner of an "izakaya" in Tokyo - businesswomen who won't give up on their dreams so easily!
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 6 : A Budding Farmer Dreams of Peanuts
April. 27,2020
Struggling with depopulation and a dwindling farming industry, Akitakata City in Hiroshima Prefecture has been encouraging foreigners to settle down in the area. Among them is Leonel David Maia from East Timor. Training under a veteran farmer, he started growing peanuts that now rank among the region's best-selling produce. We take a close look at Leo's efforts to reinvigorate local agriculture. We also meet an Italian craftsman eagerly promoting the use of traditional pizza brick ovens in Japan.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 5 : Support for Foreign Disabled and Elderly
April. 20,2020
The city of Toyota in Aichi Prefecture is home to some 18,000 foreigners, mainly Latin Americans of Japanese descent. We follow one of them: Keiko Uezu from Peru, who works as a caregiver assisting non-Japanese elderly and disabled people in their daily lives. Fluent in Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese, she's an indispensable source of support and reassurance for those struggling with the language barrier. We also visit a hard-working Polish salesclerk at an eyewear store in Fukuoka Prefecture.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Episode 3 : A Helping Hand for Foreign Women in Kyoto
April. 06,2020
Neighborhood relations, childcare, PTA: in Japan, issues that involve women are plenty and part of everyday routine. But for women from abroad, they can be obstacles to adapting to life in Japan. Nina Hakkarainen, a Kyoto-based Finnish woman, founded an organization offering support to non-Japanese women. As we tag along in her work, we look at the struggles of foreign women to become active members of society. We also visit the kawaii side of Harajuku with a charismatic shop clerk from France.
Watch Now
Stream in HD
Seasons
Similar titles
FRONTRUNNERS
FRONTRUNNERS highlights professionals at the very forefront of their field. We showcase their amazing work, discover their motivations, and learn about the challenges they face in the future.
RISING
Going beyond the horizon. Meet Japan's entrepreneurs whose innovative thinking is changing traditional mindsets in their various fields of work.
90 Day: The Single Life
Six singles from the various 90 Day Fiancé series give dating another shot. Letting go of their past proves difficult as they have to go through first dates and falling in love all over again. The singles seek out the help of dating coaches, events, apps, friends and family.
Deadliest Catch: Bloodline
Deadliest Catch captain Josh Harris goes on a journey to uncover a mystery left behind by his father, legendary Bering Sea crabber Phil Harris.
Titanic: Stories from the Deep
A ground-breaking documentary series uncovering new history from 12,000 feet deep below the Atlantic Ocean. With the use of cutting-edge technology, the unique collection of artifacts salvaged from the underwater resting site of the wreck tells us brand new stories of love, deception, fate and heroics. Presented by Victor Garber, who featured as Thomas Andrews in James Cameron’s Titanic, each episode follows the individual journeys of these artifacts from their recovery, to their connection to specific passengers on the ship and their connection to someone living today.
Raw Terror
A six-part series focusing on the stories of people devastated by a loved one’s murder. Using highly personal, self-shot footage, the show examines the murder and the effect on those left behind.
Absurd Planet
A cast of quirky critters and Mother Nature herself narrate this funny science series, which peeks into the lives of Earth's most incredible animals.
Beyond the Wild Blue - A History of the USAF
Beyond the Wild Blue is the most accurate rendition of the history of the United States Air Force that has ever been seen on the television or video. By a brilliant combination of archival film research and intensely personal interviews with many of the most important figures in the history of the Air Force, John Honey and Walter Boyne have produced a vivid and fast moving portrait of service which went from the ruins of World War II demobilization to become the principal weapon of the world's only Superpower.
